Ingredient supply for washing machines



Sept. 12, 195o A.. N. WAGNER INGREDIENT SUPPLY FORWASHING MACHINES Filed Feb. 28, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. l2, 1950 A. N. WAGNER 2,522,242

INGREDIENT SUPPLY FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Feb.l 28, 1942 A 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OR. www

atentcd Sept.` 12, 1950 INGREDIENT SUPPLY FOR WASHING v MACHINES Arthur N. Wagner, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a

corporation of Delaware Application February 28, 1942, Serial No. 432,833 9 claims. (Cl. fis-13 This invention relates to domestic appliances and more particularly to washing machines.

. An object of this invention is to provide a washing machine with a device for automatically adding ingredients to different wash Waters in a series of automatic washing operations.

Another object of this invention is to provide an agitator for a Washing machine capable of introducing ingredients, at different times, to washing liquid.

Another object of this invention is to provide a washing machine having a vertically reciprocable agitator which imparts a toroidal action to the clothes and liquid, and in addition agitates the surface of the liquid to prevent formation of scum.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the follow-` ing description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-section of a washing machine embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the agitator shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section of the upper part of an agitator, with a modified form of a centrifugalopening device;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken along the line 5--5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section of a modified form of the invention.

A washing machine embodying features ofmy invention may include -a driving mechanism I0, drivingly 4connected to a rotatable tub or centrifugal basket II and an agitator I2. The agitator I2 may be given to and fro motion, preferably a vertical reciprocation. The tub preferably is provided with perforations I3 and is surrounded by an imperforate tub I4. This permits the combined tub I I, I4 to contain liquid with clothes during the washing period, and also permits the liquid to be centrifugally extracted from the clothes when` these tubs are rotated. Upon rotation, the liquid is discharged over the rim I5 of the tub I4. y

The driving mechanism IIJ may be of any suitable character and is provided with an electric motor at I6 connected with any suitable transmission to provide a rotating part II which may be connected, through the medium of sleeve I8 with the tub structure II. I4. The motor I8 may also be connectible with a, rotary-vertically reciprocating transmission I9, which reciprocates the shaft 20 and the agitator I2 to which it is attached. Details of the tub, agitator drive and the agitator broadly are disclosed and claimed in the copending application of Kendall Clark, Serial No. 358,871, led Sept. 28, 1940 (Patent No. 2,366,236, granted January 2, 1945). The arrangements are such that an electrical timer 2| may energize a combined solenoid and pressure reducer 22 for a suflicient length of time to ll the tub to the level 23 shown in Fig. 1. Thereafter, the timer 2| energizes the driving mechanism Ill to` cause vertical reciprocation of the shaft 20 and agitator I2 for a suilicient length of time to washing clothes. The timer 2| thereafter energizes the driving mechanism I0 to produce rotation of the tubs II and I4 with or without the agitator I2 centrifugally to extract the washing liquid from the clothes. Thereafter the timer 2| may again repeat the entire series, and thus cause the tub to be filled, the agitator to be actuated and the tubs to be rotated through one or more cycles.

The washing machine is provided with means for automatically introducing a plurality of ingredients into the washing liquids. For example. it may add soap or other ingredient to the first washing liquid and a water softener compound or other ingredient to the second washing liquid. This water softening compound is intended to reduce the scum formation which tends to form in the rst rinse water following the washing of the clothes.

In the modification shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the agitator I2 has a cylindrical chamber or container 30 which is supported from the upper end of thef shaft 20 by means of a spider 3|. A screen or foraminous body 32 is held between the spider construction and the seal holding Y device 33, the seal being a flexible bellows held in liquid-tight relationship with the tub and the shaft 20. The upper end of the chamber 30 is covered by a removable cover 34, which carries a centrifugally operated softener container or holder 35. The container 35, which may contain water softener or other ingredient, is provided with a cover 36, of such construction that it opens when it is rotated at high speed. The cover 34has a threaded engagement with the upper end `oi the chamber 30, and is preferl ably made of rubber or the like, so that it forms a substantially air-tight cover for thev chamber 30. i

Soap powder may be introduced into the cham- 3 ber l by removing cover 34, and by pouring the desired quantity of soap powder into chamber 3l. At this time, a water softening powder may be introduced into' the container 35 by removing the cover 36, pouring'softener powder into the inverted container 35. The covers 36 and 34 are then replaced to close' their respective apertures. Thereafter the timer 2l may be set, so that after clothes have been placed in the tub Il, water is introduced by the solenoid construction 22 to the level 23. Thereafter the mechanism I0 is energized by the timer 2| to reciprocate the agitator I2. During this operation the soap powder is disseminated into the liquid in tub Il by the continuous 'passage of liquid in and out through the screen 32. Thereafter the mechanism I0 is energized, by the timer 2|, to rotate the tub structure Il, I4. This rotation is accomplished with a somewhat slow acceleration, so that the major portion of thel liquid is discharged over the rim I before ro-k tation reaches top speed. Near the top speed of rotation, the cover 36 opens centrifugally and allows the softener powder to fall to the lower part of chamber 30. When the timer 2| thereafter again energizes the solenoid structure 22, after the tub has been stopped, liquid again is introduced to the level 23, and, during the next agitation period, the water softener is disseminated into this first rinse Water and prevents the formation of a large amount of scum during the rinsing period. f

The centrifugal cover 36 shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 slides on grooves 31 along the bottom of the container 35. The cover 36 is provided with a weight or handle 38 of such mass that it pulls the cover to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 when the tub structure, together with the agitator, is rotated near the top speed, as previously described.

In Figs. 4 and 5, the centrifugal cover 36a for the container 35a is hinged at 40, and is held in closed position by a spring 4|. The spring 4| is provided with a weight or handle 42 at its lower end, of suiiicient mass to cause the spring 4| to fly outward, to the dotted position in Fig. 5, thus allowing the cover 36a to fall to the dotted line position of Fig. 5. If desired, springs 42 may be added to insure that the cover 36a moves to the lower position in spite of the.rapid rotation, which might otherwise prevent such movement. This modification may be used with a washing machine of the kind heretofore disclosed with regard to Fig. 1.

In Fig. 6, the agitator isof slightly different form and is connected to the shaft a by means of a conical spreader 45. Openings 46 in the outer wall of chamber a are provided, so that liquid may enter and leave through these openings during the agitation period. The removable cover 34a may be provided with a water softener container substantially the same as in they other modifications, although it is shown to be slightly shallower, and details of the centrifugal cover have been omitted. This agitator may be used with the washing machine of Fig. 1.

A centrifugal counterbalance 50 is provided to prevent the tub from rocking violently during .the centrifugal period. Details of this centrifugal counterbalance are claimed and more fully shown in the said patent of Kendall Clark.

The agitator I2 is preferably made with the cylindrical upper mainy body having a downward flare provided with a relatively large flexible conical disc 5| at its lower portion, and this produces a toroidal motion of the liquid and clothes during vertical reciprocation of the agitator. A smaller conical disc 52 is placed under tension in the groove 53 on the centrifugal main body substantially at the level 23 of the liquid established by the control 2|, 22. This smaller conical disc 52 rises above and falls below the liquid during the agitation, and drives the scum to the outer rim of the tub, when it is ready to be discharged from the tub without being deposited on the clothes lying just below the surface of the liquid.

There may be a plurality of discs 52 used near the water level instead of one such disc, to allow for slight variations in water level.

The cover v34 preferably is made air tight 'to trap a quantity of air in the chamber 30 as the tub is filled with liquid. This causes the liquid to pulsate in and out of the chamber 30 through the screen 32 and causes a thorough mixture of the soap or softener and the liquid.

wires 53 with the motor I6 and the transmission mechanism therein,V sothat it is properly energized to cause rotation and reciprocation at the proper times as more fully disclosed in said patent of Kendall Clark.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A washing machine comprising a centrifugal basket. a reciprocable agitator in said basket, a container associated with said agitator for adding an ingredient to liquid in said basket and another container rotatable with said basket for adding an ingredient to liquid in said basket, said last named container having a centrifugally operated closure, operated by rotation of the basket for discharging the ingredient into said liquid.

2. A washing machine comprising a tub, a vertically reciprocable agitator in said tub, said agitator having a hollow main body with an outward flare at its lower portion, a foraminous bottom for said said main body, a removable cover near the top of said main body for admitting an ingredient to the body, a centrifugally operated ingredient holder on said agitator for discharging an ingredient onto said foraminous bottom, and means for rotating said agitator.

3. A washing machine comprising a tub, a vertically reciprocable agitator in said tub, said agitator having a hollow main body with an outward are at its lower portion, a foraminous bottom for said main body, a removable cover near the top o f said main` body, and a centrifugally operated ingredient holder on said agitator carried by and removable with said cover for discharging an ingredient onto said foraminous bottom, and means for rotating said agitator.

4. A washing machine comprising a tub adapted to contain liquid, an agitator in said tub, means responsive to agitator movement tator have reached a high rate of rotation and' after the maior portion of liquid has been discharged from said tub thereby to condition said agitator to supply said ingredient to liquid refilling said tub subsequent to said rotation.

5. A washing machine comprising a tub means adapted to contain liquid, agitating means for agitating the liquid, one of said means includ- .ing a mixing chamber for mixing an ingredient with the liquid and an ingredient container, means for spinning one of said means, and cen'- trifugal means responsive to said spinning for.

controlling the transfer of ingredient from said container to said chamber.

6. A washing machine comprising a rotatable tub adapted to contain liquid, an agitator for agitating the liquid, said agitator having an interior liquid contacting portion, an ingredient container carried by said agitator, and means responsive to rotation ofesaid agitator for conditioning said ingredient container to discharge an ingredient into said interior liquid contacting portion.

7. A washing machine comprising a tub means adapted to contain liquid, agitating means for agitating the liquid, said agitating means having an interior liquid contacting portion, an ingredient container carried by said agitating means,`means vfor spinning the agitating means, and centrifugal means responsive to the spinning of the lagitating means for discharging the contents of said container into said interior liquid contacting portion.

8. A washing machine comprising a tub, a reciprocable agitator in said tub,`said agitator having an ingredient chamber to discharge an ingredient into liquid in said tub during agitation, an ingredient holder provided with centrifugally operated means for discharging an ingredient into said chamber, means for centrifugally rotating said tub and centrifugally operated means, and means for thereafter reciprocating said agitator to discharge an ingredient into liquid in said tub which was received by said chamber from said holder while rotating said tub.

9. In a machine having a centrifugal basket,

6 means to nil said basket with liquid, means in said basket to subject articles therein to a washing action and means to cause centrifugal rotation of said basket to discharge said liquid; an ingredient container mounted within said basket for rotation therewith, said container being fully closable to maintain an ingredient placed therein out of contact with said liquid in said basket during said washing action and havingr centrifugally operated means for discharging said ingredient by said rotatiorrof said basket, and means mounted adjacent to said container ior receiving and holding the discharged ingredient out 4of contact with the liquid being discharged and making it available for an action by the machine succeeding said washing action.

ARTHUR N. WAGNER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITEDy STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 629,024 Barnard July 18, 1899 1,408,596 Heinrich Mar. 7, 1922 `1,550,567 Oliver Aug. 18, 1925 1,682,473 Bercaw Aug. 28, 1928 1,751,982 Dunham Mar. 25, 1930 1,826,030 Snyder Oct. 6, 1931 1,847,159 Adams Mar. l, 1932 1,904,549 Jones Dec. 19, 1933 2,030,394 Pierce Feb. 11, 1936 2,142,961 Kuhn Jan. 3, 1939 2,161,604 Watts June 6, 1939 2,227,077 Geldhof Dec. 31, 1940 2,323,993 Harvey July 13, 1943 2,406,198 Clark Aug. 20, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,581 England 1897 

